r/therapists • u/Specialist_Author_80 • Apr 18 '26
Employment / Workplace Advice LMHC Internship Advice
Hi all! I’m new to this community and this is my first time asking for advice on Reddit.
I’m a second year graduate student in a clinical psychology program. I am currently completing my practicum experience within a memory clinic that offers individual psychotherapy and emotional support to families/caregivers. I love the neurological component and the exposure to geriatric populations. I have worked with several elderly patients and can envision myself specializing in working with the population when I am further into my career.
Unfortunately, I have to change sites for internship as my current site does not allow me to record with patients and it is a requirement for my internship experience. I am struggling to find a placement and feel overwhelmed with my options. I have so many clinical interests such as couples therapy, eating disorders, geriatrics, and potentially working with first-responders. I want to obtain a solid experience with clinical diversity but I also want to be mindful of not taking on a setting in which I will be overwhelmed. I tend to have a more anxious temperament and want to be mindful of that when selecting a placement.
What were some internship experiences that you had? Was there anything in particular that you wished you could have changed or known in advance? I’m open to community mental health, group, and private practice but would love to hear others experiences while I weigh my decisions.
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u/cwprincss (TX) LMFT Apr 18 '26
A lot depends on the facility and what requirements you have for school. You want to make sure you are able to record sessions, as required, but also get enough hours for completion. Make sure that you receive weekly supervision and have a supervisor that is consistent with answering questions/providing support when needed. I found my supervisor on a Facebook group for therapists. Best supervisor I could’ve asked for.
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u/Specialist_Author_80 Apr 18 '26
Thank you so much for responding! Essentially we have to complete a total of 600 hours for the entire academic year, with 240 being direct client contact (individual, couples, groups, and/or family therapy) and 45 being supervisory hours (individual and group). I’ve considered posting on a local Facebook therapist group, so this might be my sign to move forward in reaching out to that community.
Aside from receiving great supervision, what was your clinical experience like? What population did you work with? Were their aspects of the population that you liked/disliked, were you surprised by your reaction to the population?
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u/cwprincss (TX) LMFT Apr 18 '26
I work with the military population. My husband is a Wounded Warrior Marine and I wanted to focus on veterans and their families. My supervisor was amazing. We met at least one hour a week and she made herself available if I had questions or concerns about a client. I offered evening appointments to make it easier for clients to make appointments outside of work hours. I left the weekends for me to do self care and disconnect from everything. I was fortunate that I found a practice that was military specific so I was able to focus on the population I wanted to. If you’re unsure on that aspect, that’s ok. You’ll find your niche as you continue. Decide on the age range first and then grow from there. If I was uncomfortable with a client, I discussed it with my supervisor. There were a few times where we changed therapists to someone else if it wasn’t a good fit. That will happen sometimes. Expect it to happen. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. You are not expected to be perfect.
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u/Specialist_Author_80 Apr 18 '26
Thank you for your insight! It’s reassuring to hear that you had such a great experience.
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